Discovering Beverly Cleary

Throughout the month of April, throngs of adoring fans across the country will gather to commemorate Cleary’s 100th birthday and her treasured contributions to children’s literature.

Witty, humble and private, Cleary’s beloved books were inspired by her own experiences as a child, a mother and a librarian. She wrote about the exuberance of youth mingled with the minutiae of everyday life and captured the hearts of many readers, young and old alike.

Throughout her esteemed career, Cleary has challenged herself and her storytelling abilities. While maintaining the ever-popular Ramona Quimby series, which ended in 1999 when Ramona’s World was published, Cleary strayed from her familiar characters—and earned a Newbery medal in the process—with 1984’s Dear Mr. Henshaw, a timeless story about the struggles of a sixth-grade boy dealing with life in the aftermath of his parents’ separation.

Cleary’s many awards and accolades speak to the magnitude of her success as a children’s writer, but she says her greatest joy is that children love to read her stories!

To learn more about Beverly Cleary and Oregon Art Beat’s upcoming television special “Discovering Beverly Cleary” head to our series page.

Happy 100th Birthday, Beverly Cleary!

OPB and Producer Katrina Sarson celebrated Beverly Cleary’s 100th birthday at the Vancouver Community Library with a screening of “Discovering Beverly Cleary” and a birthday party!

Join us as we wish the venerable Beverly Cleary a very Happy Birthday!